Stone Forest Nightingale's Song -- Tang and Song

Author: Ye Mengde
Publisher:
Publication Date: 1997-12-01
Features: In the fifth year of the Xuanhe era, I had chosen a separate residence in Shilin Valley of Bianshan, gradually secluded from the city, no longer engaging in worldly affairs. Friends and relatives often visited and interacted with me. Under the rugged cliffs, there was nothing to entertain, and our conversations often revolved around historical anecdotes and old tales, or the commendable words and deeds of ancient and modern sages, which had been passed down by the elders and renowned figures, as well as the experiences I had encountered in the central court. Even the words of farmers and elderly villagers, along with witty and humorous remarks, sometimes brought us into laughter. In the empty valley with nothing to do, I occasionally came across writing materials and wrote them down. In the second year of the Jianyan era, I returned to Ruyun to escape the chaos. After the devastation of war, wells and paths were abandoned, and the number of former guests who had passed away had roughly halved. I too had grown old. Having endured repeated hardships, my will had weakened, and the daily sights and sounds I had witnessed were gradually forgotten. Therefore, I compiled them into ten volumes and named them "Shilin Yanyu." The order of the words was originally chaotic and no longer needed to be arranged. Confucius once discussed Yu Zhong and Yi, saying, "They retired and spoke freely." As for Gongming, when commenting on Gong Shuwen, he said, "The master speaks only when the time is right, and people do not resent his words." Confucius replied, "That is so." Whether to speak or not to speak, how dare I dare to comment? However, if one speaks without originally intending to, then even though I may have spoken, it can be considered that I had never spoken at all. On the 15th day of the eighth month, written by the Shilin Mountain Hermit.